Experiential Learning on the Internet: A Case Study of the Internet Agricultural Bank Simulation Game1

摘要

Few agricultural studies have studied experiential learning on the Internet. In this study, an experiential learning tool focused on agricultural banking was updated to serve as an Internet based simulation game (www.agbanksim.org). The game offers a"real world" experience in which management decisions affect institutions interacting in a geographic market, enhancing understanding of the complex, competitive environment within which commercial banks operate. In the past, agricultural lenders and students who played the software based game learned key financial, economic, and banking lessons. Questions arose as to whether participants playing Ag Bank Sim in a virtual environment would have the same positive increase in learning key concepts. Resultsof pre- and post-tests of Louisiana State University students in a senior-level capstone agribusiness strategic management course and Oklahoma State University students in an undergraduate agricultural finance course illustrate learning of key conceptsas a result of playing the Internet based game.